A good teacher earns a pupil millions, Jan Libich has calculated

Only a quarter of Czech fourth-graders enjoy going to school, which puts us at the bottom of the EU. This is not just a matter of feelings but an enormous economic loss. The economist Jan Libich, supported by Neuron, has calculated that a good teacher can earn a pupil an extra CZK 2.5 to 5.5 million over a lifetime. His work shows why supporting science is key to the debate on fundamental reform of Czech schools.

According to the economist Jan Libich, who works in Australia and at the VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava, the root of the frustration is an outdated way of teaching. Instead of the interaction and discussion that demonstrably stimulate the brain, the teacher's passive monologue still predominates. The whole system is moreover distorted by the pressure of entrance exams, which force pupils to memorise facts at the expense of practical skills and critical thinking — abilities that are absolutely key in the age of artificial intelligence.

"We need good teachers as much as we need salt, and we have to reward them accordingly," Libich urges. His analyses show that education is not a cost but the best possible investment in the future of the individual and of the state. Better educated people are not only wealthier but also healthier and more satisfied with their lives.

"The Neuron Foundation supported Jan Libich as early as 2012. His work is proof that supporting top-class science brings essential data into public debate. It is scientists like him who open up important subjects and offer solutions that can positively shape the future of the whole Czech Republic," says the director of the Neuron Foundation, Monika Vondráková.

You can read the interview with Jan Libich in Forbes.